Easy Pasta Tomato Mozzarella (Print-Friendly Version)

Tender pasta tossed with tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, and salami in a bold herbed vinaigrette.

# What You Need:

→ Dressing

01 - 120 ml extra virgin olive oil
02 - 60 ml red wine vinegar
03 - 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend
04 - 0.5 teaspoon granulated sugar
05 - 1 garlic clove, minced
06 - 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
07 - 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Salad

08 - 0.5 medium red onion, finely chopped
09 - 225 grams dried short pasta (such as rotini)
10 - 225 grams cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
11 - 1 small English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
12 - 115 grams mini mozzarella balls, drained and halved
13 - 115 grams salami slices, cut into 1.25 cm wide strips
14 - 120 ml pitted kalamata olives, halved
15 - 15 grams fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried Italian herbs, sugar, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk thoroughly until emulsified.
02 - Add finely chopped red onion to the dressing and stir to incorporate. Set aside to allow flavors to infuse and the onion to soften.
03 - Bring 2 litres of salted water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the dried pasta and cook until al dente, approximately 8 minutes or as specified on package instructions. While pasta cooks, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl.
04 - Drain the pasta using a colander and rinse under cold water to halt cooking. Immerse the colander into the prepared ice bath and let pasta cool for 5 minutes.
05 - Drain pasta thoroughly and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, mozzarella balls, salami strips, kalamata olives, and chopped parsley. Pour the dressing with marinated onions over the salad and gently toss until all ingredients are well coated.
06 - Refrigerate the composed salad for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Important Notes:

01 - For optimal freshness, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving if needed.